It’s been another good year for economy of the Northwest and the design consultants that do business in the area. Architects and engineers from a broad sample of Seattle firms were invited to describe their experiences and activities in the previous year, and responses were edited for the survey below.
While most of them report at least modest growth, several firms are holding even. None of those responding reports net cutbacks in personnel or volume.
Taken together, they show a great deal of confidence in the overall health of the Northwest economy and the global market. But, there is wariness about the collapse in numbers of Internet startups and contractions in the stock market. There is also anticipation of a slowdown in demand for commercial and office construction. And, in the short term at least, budget cutting at the state level seems to be taking its toll on certain markets.
Whether volume has been rapidly expanding or flat, there has been a general shortage of qualified people to fill jobs available in the regional design industry this year. As this article goes to press, however, there are some resumes now circulating — a condition that may represent jobs lost as a direct result of pressures on the state budget forced by the passage of property tax-cutting Initiative 722.
Firms appearing in the survey below provided information about changes in the firm, new projects and markets. They also commented on their own challenges in doing business and projections about the industry as a whole.
— Clair Enlow,
A/E Perspectives Editor
|
|